Back off, Shifeta tells animal rights groups

Environment, forestry and tourism minister Pohamba Shifeta says international animal rights groups objecting to the ministry’s decision to cull wildlife have not coexisted with wild animals on a regular basis.

He made these remarks during the official handover of human-wildlife conflict mitigation equipment, infrastructure and other assets, valued at N$16.8 million, to communities in the Zambezi region on Wednesday.

The handover, conducted by the environment ministry in collaboration with the Community Conservation Fund of Namibia and the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Area, is sponsored by KfW Development Bank.

The ministry received widespread backlash from various animal rights groups after announcing plans to cull about 723 wild animals as a drought-mitigating measure in August.

This comprised 30 hippos, 60 buffaloes, 50 impalas, 100 blue wildebeest, 300 zebras, 83 elephants and 100 elands, to be sourced from national parks and communal area with sustainable game numbers.

“These things of the animal rights groups telling each other that we are culling animals because we are hungry is not true. We are doing this to mitigate the impacts of drought.

“These animal rights activists are living in urban areas and have not lived a day at the village with wild animals, to feel the pinch of living side by side with these animals. They are only used to the tamed animals in zoos and have not experienced the dangers of wild animals,” he said.

Zambezi regional governor Lawrence Sampofu said drought has increased cases of human-wildlife conflict incidents in the region.

“Human-wildlife conflicts are really a challenge for our communities. However, we are quite sure that the mitigation efforts by the government and other agencies will achieve success in the fight against these challenges,” he said.